Apricot Chicken

This recipe is delicious, but my favorite thing about it is how easy it is.  The whole time I was cooking the kids were asking me what smelled so yummy.




7-8 pieces of skinless or skin on chicken
(I used breasts but you can use thighs)
1-2 tsp of salt
3 Tb herbes de Provence*
2 Tb olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 sweet onion, diced
6 medium apricots
1/2 cup apricot preserves

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease a 9x13 pan.
• Season the chicken by rubbing the meat with salt and 2 Tb of herbes de Provence.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet and cook the garlic and onion until the garlic is fragrant.  Add the seasoned chicken to the skillet and cook for 5-10 minutes, turning the chicken so all sides are browned.  Sprinkle the remaining herbes de Provence over the chicken, making sure all the chicken pieces are covered on all sides.  Place the chicken in the greased pan and cook in the oven for 20 minutes or until the chicken juices run clear.
• In the skillet, add about 1/3 cup of cooking wine or water.  (If adding water, make sure you remove the pan from the heat and add it slowly so the oil doesn't spatter.) 
• Add the fresh apricots and apricot preserves and simmer on low until the chicken is done cooking in the oven.
• Add the chicken back to the skillet and heat with the sauce for another 5 minutes.
• Serve with rice.

* Herbes de Provence is a mixture of several herbs that are typical in French cooking.  There is no standard recipe for it and many recipes include lavender.  Since this might be difficult to find in stores (I happened to buy mine in France), I found a recipe by Emeril to make it yourself.

Herbes De Provence

2 Tb dried savory

2 Tb dried rosemary

2 Tb dried thyme

2 Tb dried oregano

2 Tb dried basil

2 Tb dried marjoram

2 Tb dried fennel seed

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients together and store in an air-tight container.  Makes 1 cup.